Hold Bulger killer's parole hearing in public, mum demands

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has demanded that the upcoming parole hearing for her son's killer be held in public.

Jon Venables was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson, also 10, tortured and killed the two-year-old after luring him away from his mother Denise Fergus as she was shopping in Bootle, Merseyside, on 12 February 1993.

Venables was first released on licence in 2001 but was recalled to prison twice after being found guilty of possessing indecent images of children in 2010 and 2017.

Fergus has argued that a public hearing would help the public understand the process and combat "disinformation" which has "retraumatised" her family.

Venables, now 43, had a parole bid denied in 2023 but in January this year Fergus was told he would have the chance to argue his case again.

A date for the hearing has not yet been set.

Kym Morris, speaking on Fergus's behalf, told the Mirror newspaper at the time: "Once again, Denise Fergus has been forced to confront a process that reopens unimaginable trauma.

"Denise was hoping for a redirection, allowing her a measure of peace and protection from further distress. That hope has now been taken away."

Before 2022, all Parole Board hearings were held in private and the reasons behind any decision to release a prisoner were not published.

The law began to change after a successful judicial challenge to a decision to direct the release of black cab rapist Jon Worboys in 2018.

That decision was overturned by the High Court and judges also struck down the secrecy rule surrounding decisions.

The Government later introduced a rule allowing the public to apply for hearings to be held in public under certain conditions, although the Parole Board has the power to refuse such applications.

The Parole Board said it had received an application from Fergus and her partner, Stuart Fergus, arguing that due to the public interest in the case an open hearing could "increase understanding" of the parole process.

In a summary of the application, published online, it said: "They argue that the prisoner should have to face up to his offending by way of a public hearing, especially given that he has committed further serious offences as an adult."

The couple said Venables further convictions as an adult were an "exceptional feature" of the case, further supporting the argument for a public hearing.

Venables and his legal team are also able make representations about the application.

Any other members of the public either wishing to support or oppose the application which make submissions before 14 August.

The murder of James Bulger caused shockwaves nationally both due to the horrific details of the attack and the age of his killers.

Both Venables and Thompson were granted new identities upon their release.

A High Court injunction is also in place prohibiting any publication of their new identities.

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